Merlin Rockets Arrive for Championship

The Merlin Rockets are gathering at Looe SC for their National Championship. From all the signs it looks like the class will have their best entry for some time, with 70 boats expected. The Merlins have received a boost in new boats this year, with the success of the glass Winder boats and these - together with some new high tech one-offs - will provide a fascinating championship.
The club is situated in the middle of the town, and getting there involves a tortuous trip through the narrow streets to the seafront. For the ultra wide Merlins this means having someone to unlock the street bollard to allow each car and its wide load through - kind of painful if you're in a hurry. The practice race and first race are Sunday.